Napa Valley Gram: What's New This Winter/Spring 2015

January 15, 2015, Napa, CA – Come discover what’s new in the Napa Valley, including new and upcoming restaurants, wineries, hotels, shops and experiences, found only in the Napa Valley.

Newly Opened Restaurants, Wineries, Shops and Experiences

Napa

Eiko’s restaurant opened a sushi bar at Oxbow Public Market in Napa this past fall. Eiko’s Seafood Market and Sushi Bar at Oxbow offers seafood by the pound, a sit-down sushi bar, grab and go Japanese deli options and Japanese beer and sake selections.

méthode bubbles + bites by Empire in downtown Napa opened in late 2014. The new space showcases California Sparkling wines paired with avant-garde culinary creations by Executive Chef Thomas Drahos. Designer Jennifer Orne designed the space with light and nature in mind. méthode features a live pianist performance on Fridays and Saturdays, $10 bottomless mimosas during Sunday Brunch and a daily happy hour.

Atlas Social opened on Jan. 7, 2015 on First Street in downtown Napa. Owners Michael and Christina Gyetvan, are also the proprietors of Azzurro Pizzeria & Enoteca and Norman Rose Tavern in downtown Napa. Atlas Social features shared dining flavors from around the world with a focus on small plates inspired by seasonal products from Northern California. Atlas Social was designed and created by architect and designer Juancarlos Fernandez of Signum Architecture.

Westin Verasa Napa features a new “Yoga Concierge” for guests to enjoy complimentary yoga poolside, or if weather doesn’t permit, in one of the property’s meeting rooms. Guests may sign-up during the pre-arrival process with a minimum of 24-hours advance notice.

HALL Wines now features a culinary experience with Chef MikeC. “A Taste of HALL” will focus on tips and techniques for dishing out seasonal three course meals paired with new release HALL & WALT wines. Each class is $100 per person and $85 for club members.

St. Supéry Estate Vineyard now offers a Veggies & Vino Pairing. Guests will taste four of their Napa Valley estate wines paired with four vegetarian small bites featuring produce fresh from their culinary garden. Guests will be provided the recipes to recreate at home. The Veggies & Vino Pairing is $50 per person.

Domaine Carneros in Napa now offers a “Recharge Station,” a half-day experience where guests may recharge with al-fresco yoga, a “juice bar,” and custom farm-to-fork lunch. The experience begins with Vinayasa in the Vineyard, an hour-long instructor-led class, followed by a guided tasting at the “juice bar” offering three unique barrel samples of future release wines. The afternoon concludes with preferred vegan or gluten-free fare perfectly paired with their vegan wines. This experience is available by appointment and is $1,500 for a group of up to 10 guests.

Oakville

B Cellars opened their new winery and tasting room in Oakville in August 2014. The space includes a state-of-the art wine production facility, including more than 15,000-square-feet of caves for barrel storage, tours, tasting and private events, and a hospitality house anchored by an interactive demonstration kitchen. The space was conceptualized in partnership with San Francisco-based architectural firm Hart Howerton.

St. Helena

Clif Family Winery at Velo Vino in St. Helena now features a food truck Bruschetteria, which serves a seasonal menu of bruschetta, farm fresh salads and rotisserie chicken. Executive Chef John McConnell has embraced the traditional and fresh approach to Italian cuisine, fueled by ingredients from the certified organic Clif Family Farm and other local and sustainable sources. Beginning Feb. 1, the Bruschetteria will be open 7 days a week at Velo Vino.

Cook Tavern in St. Helena opened in late December 2014. The new restaurant is located next door to the original Cook on Main Street. The casual, modern American gastro pub features small plates, cocktails and beers.

In January 2015, Allison Molinatti opened Allison in Wine Country, a woman’s clothing boutique in St. Helena, which offers casual chic LA and wine country styles as well as some children’s clothing.

Hotel & Winery Renovations

Napa

The Andaz Napa officially reopened on December 15, 2014 after the post-earthquake renovations were completed. While the overall interior design of the hotel remains the same, some design elements have been enhanced and refreshed.

Craig and Kathryn Hall have renovated La Residence in Napa and rebranded to SENZA Hotel to reflect the hotel’s new modern design and added amenities. The property re-opened in October 2014. SENZA Hotel features 41-modern guest rooms including 18 luxury suites, an outdoor pool and hot tub, state-of-the-art fitness room, full spa, meeting area and a contemporary art collection.

Stags’ Leap Wine Cellars in Napa, designed by Barcelona-based architect Javier Barba, opened their new FAY Outlook & Visitor Center in late September 2014. The new center overlooks their historic estate vineyards and the Stags’Leap Palisades. The “no appointment necessary” tasting room offers a menu of special tours and tastings.

St. Helena

Harvest Inn by Charlie Palmer in St. Helena opened their all-new sculpture garden installation in September 2014. The exhibit includes 24 handcrafted sculptures by Bay Area and Napa Valley artists scattered throughout their grounds.

Calistoga

Indian Springs Resort & Spa in Calistoga has expanded to include 75 new rooms, more than 3,500 square feet of indoor event space, and a myriad of outdoor event areas, including space for small weddings. The new restaurant, Sam's Social Club, will open in early 2015 to include outdoor terraces, water features and fire pits. Celebrating the heritage and legacy of Calistoga and founder Sam Brannan, Executive Chef Kory Stewart presents rustic American fare influenced by the Mediterranean while using only local ingredients.

Upcoming Hotels, Renovations, Restaurants, Wineries and Shopping

Napa

Ca’Momi Napa Valley will open a second restaurant at 1141 First St. in downtown Napa in spring 2015.

Archer Napa is coming to downtown Napa in late 2016. The Archer, planned as a four-diamond boutique luxury hotel will be on First Street near Napa’s main shopping district.

Yountville

Silver Trident Winery will open a new tasting studio and home store in Yountville. The new space will be located on the grounds of the Villagio Inn & Spa and is slated to open in March 2015. The Studio tasting room will feature samplings of Silver Trident wines and be furnished with Ralph Lauren Home products that will also be for sale.

St. Helena

Harvest Table, the new Charlie Palmer restaurant, is expected to open Spring 2015. The all-new 110-seat restaurant will also feature an outdoor terrace for alfresco dining. Food and beverage offerings provide a refreshed approach to California contemporary farm-to-table cuisine, with ingredients predominantly sourced from the Harvest Inn by Charlie Palmer’s new culinary gardens and the surrounding areas.

Cairdean Estate’s new wine making facility will open in 2015 and be available to the public to tour. Rosgal Gallery, an art gallery and event space, which offers a sweeping view of the vineyards, will open on the estate in Spring 2015. The on-site boutique store Redolent Mercantile, will open in early 2015 and offer a selection of imports from rare Scotches and Scottish woolen blankets to fine jewelry. Cairdean Estate also features Butterscotts Bakery, which opened in August 2014, The Farmer & The Fox restaurant by Joseph Humphries, which opened in June 2014, and their tasting room that opened in April 2014.

Harvest Inn by Charlie Palmer will begin “phase one” of an extensive renovation targeted to be completed by Spring 2015. The first phase includes renovations of the central check-in building which will be transformed to include a welcome bar and signature Charlie Palmer restaurant, Harvest Table. In addition to ground floor updates, a total of four guest rooms on the second floor are under construction.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. will open Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley in the fall of 2015, upon completion of a comprehensive multi-million dollar renovation that will transform the former Grandview Hotel & Spa in St. Helena. Las Alcobas will feature 57 guest rooms and suites, a signature restaurant, a 3,500 square foot spa, an outdoor pool, meeting facilities and all of the brand’s signature amenities and services.

Calistoga

Solage Calistoga is renovating Spa Solage and their six-time Michelin star-rated Solbar restaurant with a $2.3 million-transformation beginning in January 2015. The property will temporarily close and will officially reopen on Jan. 24, 2015. The vision for both interior spaces was designed by Shirley Robinson, principal of Robinson Finishes, a San Francisco-based interior design company. In addition, in early February 2015, Chef Brandon Sharp from Solbar at Solage Calistoga will open a new Calistoga restaurant, Evangeline.

Silver Rose Inn Resort and Spa in Calistoga broke ground in July 2014 with an anticipated inventory of 85 rooms slated to open in 2017.